President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto were expected to name the new Cabinet as soon as they were sworn in following their win in the October election.
However, the two are yet to release the eagerly awaited list leading to all manner of speculations with reports indicating that the new Cabinet could be announced in January 2018.
According to a Government source who spoke to Standard, the leadership is awaiting a comprehensive report on background checks of the Cabinet nominees by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), thus the delays.
By virtue of their positions, Kenyatta has to be certain of whom he brings on board as Cabinet Secretaries are often in contact with classified State secrets.
[caption caption="Cabinet Secretaries in Kenya"]
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NIS clearance on the nominees is, therefore, critical as well as an assessment by the EACC on the appointees' integrity.
There are also claims that the final list is yet to be arrived at given the pressure Kenyatta and Ruto have to fulfill their promise to reward their loyal members from other parties.
However, reports indicate that the duo was not to announce their team until after the festive season.
“The appointments will be announced in January. The President knows who is to be in his new Cabinet, but in his own discretion, has decided to hold on until January,” noted the source.
Cabinet Secretaries are vetted by the Committee on Appointments, which is chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly, while PSs are vetted by respective departmental committees of Parliament.
According to a report by Nation, the delays on the naming of the Cabinet was due to lack of the parliamentary committees which are to vet the nominees once named by the President.
“The President and his Deputy are not in a hurry to name a new Cabinet. They will do it when they are ready. What I can assure you is that when the announcement comes, the relevant parliamentary committees will be ready to vet and approve the list,” affirmed Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen.
There has been intense public lobbying by various groups on who the President should consider into his new team.
Latest statement was by the Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders disputing claims that they had written to the President asking him not to reappoint Lands Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi or pick former Meru Governor Peter Munya.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta and Peter Munya"]
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